Change
by Kyla Ray
Summary: s-CRY-ed fanfiction. Not sure where this is going yet, but so far, it takes place at the end of the show. Mimori is missing Ryuho as they hadn't seen each other for 3 months, but she hopes that she will see him again. Alone, she must protect everyone. She's only a human though...or is she? Ryuho x Mimori, possible other pairings, but undetermined right now. Enjoy everyone! Thanks!
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Nearly three months had passed since I last saw him. Three months since the end of the Lost Ground, and the dawning of a new land altogether. The Lost Ground had practically fallen apart, no thanks to the Mainland's interference. If it hadn't been for them, the land may not have become such a battle zone. It was too dangerous to be too close to the center of the Lost Ground, so several of the citizens choosing to remain on the island stayed near the coast line.  
Kanami and I joined those citizens. Kanami worked in the fields along with several of the farmers in the small village. She did small tasks such as retrieving milk from the cows or collecting eggs from chickens that weren't fertilized. When she wasn't working in the field, she was helping several of the villagers in the kitchen; washing dishes or preparing food.  
I worked in the school, teaching many of the children there basic academics such as science, math, and english. Being a teacher was certainly far from the profession I had sought after in my younger years, but I couldn't do my previous job. I had worked about three years of my life as a researcher in the medical field, only to transfer to the now extinct HOLY company. The company served one purpose: eliminating dangerous alter users.  
Alter is not a simple term to define. It has been tossed around, and I used to believe it was a blessing born to about five percent of the population. While it is still granted to a small number of children, it has proven to be more negative than positive in its involvement in everyday lives. Alter is genetic mutation caused in the development in some babies through their early years in the womb. This genetic mutation alters the physical capabilities of the individual with it, often granting an inhuman power. With the development of alter users in Japan, also came the growing tension between those in the Lost Ground and the Mainland. Most alter users habitate the Lost Ground as military forces ran them out of the Mainland. The Mainland has become the center for alter research and the increase in human population.  
I was apart of the research team, serving as a medical officer for the research team there. My father didn't approve of my involvement in that group, but what could he do? I was over seventeen years old, and though I was a princess, there was no way that I could sit around and do nothing while Ryuho was out there fighting for his life. Ryuho, as well as Kazuma, were alter users native to the Lost Ground. The difference between them was social class. Ryuho served HOLY loyally, the leading commandant under Captain Martin Zigmar. Ryuho, thanks to me, was able to stop Zigmar after discovering his true intentions for the Lost Ground. Zigmar had been planning to destroy the Lost Ground's alter users in order to gain complete control. Granted, Kyouji Mujo ended up running the entire operation due to the Mainland, but Zigmar was the one deceiving Ryuho directly. As a result, he was killed in battle and Ryuho learned more about his past. Kyouji Mujo was eventually destroyed, just over three months ago, by Kazuma and Ryuho. Kyouji was a very corrupt man, as well as an alter user. He had merged with what sounded like an Alter God, as Ryuho explained it to me. Kyouji entered the Otherside to do so the second Kazuma and Ryuho fought against each other. As a result, Kyouji had nearly destroyed the Lost Ground and practically killed Ryuho.  
Ryuho is alive now. Scherice, a business partner of his from HOLY, used all of her alter to transfer her life energy to his body, giving him his life back and taking hers away. Scherice had loved Ryuho, much like I myself do. She and I hadn't always seen eye to eye, but I still missed her presence. In the end, just before her death, we had finally made it to level ground and were able to settle our differences. Ryuho, to some degree I believe, was in love with Scherice too. During that time, he was too concerned with maintaining his dignity and pride, as well as competing with Kazuma, to really focus on internal matters. I almost wish that they had gotten together, for his sake. It pains me to say that, but I couldn't be so selfish with him.  
Time had passed since then, and I hadn't heard from Ryuho since my confession of love for him. He had known about my feelings for him since the two of us were young. Practically ten years back, Ryuho and I had met at a gala held by his father Tairen Ryuh. My father and I attended the special evening, as my father was business friend of Tairen's. I had gone as my father believed that Ryuho and I would hit things off from the start. I went as it was my duty as a princess, as well as a chance to meet someone new. I never had much friends growing up, so I figured I might make a friend at such an event.  
"Remember your manners, Mimori," my father had said to me. I had smiled and bowed before making my way up the large staircase and over to Ryuho and his father. I had greeted them, keeping a smile on my face despite the uneasiness churning in my stomach. Ryuho was very handsome, with his green hair falling gently around his face and his maroon eyes poking out from his bangs. I could tell he was a bit shy too, which made me feel better.  
"The stars are so close! You can almost reach out and touch them!" I spun around, gazing at the beauty of the night sky cluttered with stars the second we made it to the balcony. I stared in awe, not having gotten such a nice view of the Lost Ground before. I stared out at the dark buildings with some bright lights in the area, the night sky painting a beautiful portrait.  
"It's so beautiful out!"  
"They're not that beautiful," Ryuho had exclaimed, standing by one of the pillars of the house. I looked over at him from where I stood, staring at him in wonder.  
"You see that wall out there? My mother told me that beyond that wall lies dangerous rock formations and raised ground levels thanks to alters."  
"But if it weren't for genetic mutations," I chimed in. "Alter users would never have gained the ultimate gift of power. 'Alter', the power granted to one percent of Japan's population as recorded caused by genetic mutations in a fetus' developmental stage."  
"No, stop!"  
I looked over at Ryuho just as he began to glow. An aura emerged from his body, highlighting it. The second he started to glow was the second an unseen force chipped the side of the pillar, forcing a small chunk of stone from it to hit the ground with a clank. I winced slightly before looking down at it. I stared, wide-eyed, up at him.  
"You have alter."  
"Alter has never been a gift. It's just a curse."  
I faced him fully.  
"I always thought alter was a gift given to children, a special talent to be born with."  
Ryuho shook his head and looked away from me.  
"All alter has done is keep me from living a normal life. Please, if my parents invite you to my house, don't come. I wouldn't want to hurt you on accident."  
That night, I went home with the shard, thinking about Ryuho and his alter. The next couple of days, I had received a personal invitation from Ryuho's mother to come to his house. Despite his warning, I went anyways. When I arrived, I was greeted by his mother outside. She was beautiful, tall, and very kind. Ryuho had told her about me, and also told me about his own struggles in growing up with alter. Off in the distance, Ryuho was playing with his rottweiler Zetsuei. He had looked up to say something to his mother, only to set his eyes upon me.  
He and I stood just outside of the large garden, talking.  
"Why'd you come here?"  
"Your mother invited me. She seems to think that we're good friends already."  
Ryuho leaned forward, resting his upper body on the fencing before us. He sighed softly.  
"She does, huh?"  
I nodded before facing him.  
"So why don't we give them what they want?"  
"Huh?" Ryuho sat up and faced me, a questioning look on his face.  
"Let's be friends, okay? Here, you can give this to me as a gift." I held out the shard to Ryuho. He stared down at it before looking back up at me.  
"Sure, it's yours."  
"Thank you!"  
We smiled at each other. From there, we had spent about a month together until my father was relocated to the Mainland. Since then, we hadn't see each other for seven years. When I had gotten a job at HOLY, Ryuho was completely different. He was practically a zombie, blindly following Zigmar's orders without any connection to his feelings. Nothing about that changed until Kazuma made an appearance. Since then, Ryuho and Kazuma had been enemies.  
So much had changed since then. Ryuho and Kazuma had disappeared, and Kanami and I were left to protect the village. Cougar and Asuka Tachibana, two friends from the former HOLY, would visit from time to time. Cougar continually mispronounced my name, and Asuka would occasionally come bringing gifts for villagers and helping me in the classroom. Life would've been great for any other person, but not me.  
' _Ryuho,'_ I pleaded silently as I stared out the window of my dismissed and empty classroom.  
' _Come home…'_


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

 _Mimori's POV_

I stared out the window, daydreaming about Ryuho as I usually did. It was a nice, warm day out, but I wasn't interested in being out and in it today. This happened often: I'd be in a good mood most of the week, but one day of the week, I'd be nostalgic and depressed. Today was one of those days for me. I exhaled heavily before pulling away from the window, turning my attention over to the empty chairs in the room. I remembered being in a classroom when i was younger; learning different math equations from the teacher.  
Thinking about my younger years only brought up thoughts of Ryuho and I, the days where we would hang out at his place with Zetsuei. Ryuho would throw the ball for Zetsuei and laugh, smiling the warmest and happiest smile I had ever seen. It was contagious then. We would laugh as Zetsuei would return the ball to Ryuho, and then plop down onto my lap. Ryuho would scold his dog for not having manners, apologizing to me with a small rose tint to his cheeks. I would giggle at him and shake my head, petting Zetsuei joyfully. I had never minded having Zetsuei be close to me, and it always made me laugh when Ryuho would try to apologize on behalf of his dog. They were wonderful times back then, and I only wish that they were still around. I'd give anything and everything to see Ryuho laugh and smile like that, just once more.  
"Mimori, can you help me out real quick?"  
I looked over as Kanami poked her head into the classroom door, smiling at me. I smiled and nodded at her, pushing my thoughts away as I rose to join her.  
"Of course, Kanami. What do you need?"  
I followed her to the farm and watched her gesture to one of the cows.  
"She won't let me milk her. She's a new one, and I know she's nervous. Do you think you could distract her for me while I try to milk her?"  
I nodded and walked slowly towards the cow. Kanami had been right, she was definitely nervous. While her face didn't clearly show it, her eyes portrayed an immense tension running through her body. I raised my hands up and approached her, letting her smell my hands before gently petting her head.  
"Shh, it's okay girl," I cooed to her softly, trying to calm her down.  
"You're okay. This won't hurt, and it won't take long."  
I could see her eyes searching my face warily, contemplating my words. I continued to pet her, lightly scratching behind her ears. I moved one of my hands along her neck. From what I could feel, her heart beat was slowing to a normal rate. As I was distracting her, Kanami knelt to the ground and started milking her gently.  
The process took about a half hour before Kanami was able to get a full pail of milk from her. I sighed softly in relief before patting the cow's back gently. With a smile, Kanami and I left the farm and took the pail over to join the others inside of the barn. The workers thanked us before giving Kanami her lunch break.  
"Would you like to join me for lunch, Mimori?"  
I smiled and nodded at Kanami.  
"Sure. I just have to return to the house to grab my lunch. I'll be back in about five minutes."  
Kanami nodded and sat down at one of the picnic tables outside.  
I returned to the house, making my way into the kitchen to retrieve the lunch I had made for myself.  
"There you are, miss Minori!"  
I sighed as I spotted Cougar in the corner. His looks hadn't changed much: his hair was still orange and crazy looking. He continued to wear the former HOLY uniform, despite never having really worked for HOLY. His pink sunglasses sat on his head delicately. He grinned at me, much like an animal would.  
"It's Mimori. How many times have I told you that?"  
He pushed himself off the wall and walked over to me.  
"Sorry, but how many times have I told you I'm not good with names?"  
' _Touché,'_ I thought bitterly.  
"What brings you here this time? I'm about to go meet Kanami for lunch."  
"Can't I visit you without needing a reason?"  
I rolled my eyes slightly, grabbing my lunch from the fridge.  
"You're welcome to join us if you'd like. I'm afraid I only made one lunch though."  
Cougar chuckled at me, shaking his head.  
"I already ate, thanks. I'll come along. I do have some news for Kanami."  
I paused and looked up at him.  
"About Kazuma?"  
Cougar nodded at me before heading towards the door.  
"Let's not keep her waiting now."  
I nodded and followed him out the door.

"Kazuya's doing pretty well, Kanami."  
Cougar sat across from Kanami and I, sharing his news about Kazuma.  
"Where is Kazu-kun?" Kanami stared up at Cougar eagerly, practically on the edge of her seat.  
"He's still fighting the Mainland, much like Ryuho probably is. You know how he is, always picking fights with random people just to show off his alter."  
"So you haven't seen Ryuho then?"  
I hadn't meant for it to, but my voice quivered slightly. Cougar looked at me, almost pitifully, and shook his head.  
"I'm afraid I haven't. Kazuma has though."  
I nodded slightly. Of course Ryuho wouldn't keep in contact with anyone, not after what happened with Scheris. Ever since Scheris had died, he had been keeping himself as far from the rest of us as he could.  
"Kazuma will be coming by at the end of the month to see you, Kanami."  
"Really?!" Kanami jumped up from her seat, a smile automatically plastered on her face. Her eyes lit up with joy.  
"That's what he told me. If he doesn't show up though, I'll drag him here for you."  
Kanami beamed up at him and smiled.  
"No, he'll come. I know my Kazu-kun will come back for me. He always does."  
I smiled at them and finished eating my lunch.  
"Well, back to work for me. You two enjoy the rest of your afternoon. I'll see you tonight, Kanami."  
I stood up before they could say anything, leaving the table to return to my classroom. I spent almost every hour in there working, though not on classroom subjects. Instead, I focused on furthering my research in alter. I had enough information to formulate a solid, though still in progress, thesis. With this information, the Mainland would gain some of the knowledge about alter users and perhaps lay off of them, giving them space to develop and grow in peace. It's not like the alter users were any different from anyone else there anyways.  
Sitting at my computer, I continued my work; putting the research into words. It wasn't easy trying to compose a concrete paper, especially one lacking a subject ready to present their alter for the Mainland. However, I knew that if I didn't tell the Mainland about the truth of alter users, they would maintain this damned war for no reason. The only reason any of it started was because of their fear of abnormality. If they knew that alter was a simple genetic mutation that's developed as normal as any other mutation, then maybe they'd be more understanding and open to alters.  
"Ryuho," I absent-mindedly whispered as I stared at my computer screen. "Where are you...come back already…"  
I knew I was being selfish in my desire to see him, but I felt like there was so much for us to talk about. I wanted to know if he was okay. I wanted to confirm that he was handling Scheris' death okay. I sighed softly before pushing away from my desk, heading back outside. I stepped out of the door, staring up at the bright blue summer sky. Clouds drifted slowly in the air as a slight breeze carried through the land. I closed my eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze.  
"Mimori!"  
I opened my eyes just as I was whisked into someone's arms and carried away from the building rapidly. I stared up at Cougar in curiousity.  
"Cougar, what's going on?"  
I flinched as I heard a loud explosion behind us. Looking over Cougar's shoulder, I saw that the school had been blown up. Everything was on fire and in ruin. My eyes widened slightly.  
"Where'd that come from?!"  
"The Mainland," said Cougar bitterly. "We are still engulfed in a war."  
I nodded slightly as he put me down. I exhaled heavily.  
"Unfortunately, my research report was destroyed…"  
"We have a little more at stake right now than your paper!" Cougar exclaimed, staring at me in astonishment.  
"You don't understand," I looked at him. "That thesis would've stopped the Mainland's attacks!"  
I looked back at the destroyed school, thinking.  
' _Will this war ever stop?'_


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

 _Mimori's POV  
_  
A few days had passed since the bombing of the school. Thanks to the local workers and farmers in the village, they had started rebuilding the school. As they did that, I continued my teaching in a large tent pitched in the town. The students were all sad about the school having been destroyed, but I gave them some hope of having a better school for them.  
The Mainland hadn't stopped the fighting much either. They would continually send militants over to search the area for wild alter users. Granted, this wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for Kazuma's actions in the past, but they didn't need to retaliate in such a malevolent way.  
"Class is dismissed! Have a great day, everyone!" I smiled and watched as the students rose and left the area. I sighed softly to myself, stepping out of the tent to look at the school area. It still bothered me that they had targeted the school. Did they really not care about killing innocents in the mix of alters?  
"Mimori, are you okay?" I looked over at Kanami and smiled, nodding my head.  
"I'm fine, Kanami. I'm just upset about the school. Those children could've been stuck in there. I can't believe that the Mainland would do something like this, just to destroy alter users." Kanami nodded and stared at the school, arms wrapped around herself.  
"I know. We aren't all bad."  
I nodded before running a hand through my hair and holding the stone around my neck. I stared down at it, gazing at the violet marble glimmering delicately in the sunlight. Images of Ryuho flooded my mind, and I contemplated so many things: if he was safe, how he was doing, and if I'd ever see him again.  
"You'll see him again, Mimori." Kanami broke me from my thoughts, a smile on her warm face.  
"I'm sure. Thank you. I'll be fine. I think I need to go lay down for a bit though. I can only handle so much of this sun." Kanami nodded before waving me off. I turned on my heel and retreated towards the house I shared with Kanami. Stepping inside, I sighed softly as the cool wind of a fan brushed against my face. I paused for a minute, my mind reflecting back to the times I had shared with the HOLY team. I smiled in spite of myself as I recalled all of the good times I'd had, as well as some of the bad times. Ryuho had constantly ordered me to return to the mainland, never letting up. Even when Kazuma had temporarily joined HOLY and I had given him a tour, Ryuho followed. However, he only followed to tell me that night to return once again. I never completely understood why he wanted me gone so badly. Even after he confided that he wanted me to be safe away from the land, I still couldn't go. Many people believed I stayed for him, to be close to him. At first, that was my truest intention. I wanted to be close to him again because I loved him. However, things changed as war took over and I worked with alter users. I realized that it was my destiny to stay there, on the Lost Ground. I was sent there by the Lord himself to fix the problem that had sprouted. I was determined to do that, despite being an average human.  
Still deep in thought, I walked over to my closet. Opening the doors, I peered in at the torn clothes folded on the shelf. I gently pulled them out, gazing at the lovely teal colour. They were the clothes Sherrice wore before her sacrifice. I found that I had been wishing she were here more and more every day. Perhaps if she were here, Ryuho would be here too.  
"Oh Sherrice…" I sighed sadly, picturing her before me.  
"I wish you were here. I know that you'd help me with this mess...as well as bring Ryuho back to us." I closed my eyes, remembering my times with her. Sherrice was Ryuho's combative partner, the one to journey the Lost Ground with him in order to obtain wild alters. She was fierce, passionate, courageous, and beautiful. It was no wonder to me why Ryuho stayed by her side, even when she became overbearingly clingy to him. She and I never really got along. She always envied my connection to Ryuho, and would stop at nothing to force herself between us. She was rash and brutal at times, definitely not someone I would've wanted to face in battle. However, we shared one thing in common: our love for Ryuho. It wasn't until her demise when we finally saw eye to eye. To this day, I still regret it being her that had to die. I could feel a deep pull in my heart as I reminisced about her.  
"I'll avenge you somehow, Sherrice. I promise." As I said those words, I felt a rush of power capture me. It was strong, but felt like a hug. I reveled in it, embracing the warmth it carried. That's when I felt two firm hands on my shoulders.  
"Mimori!"  
My eyes flew open in shock as standing before me really was Sherrice. Her hair stayed it's usual aqua blue bob and her eyes their teal, but she wore the ratty clothes. Her clip was gone since Ryuho had kept it. She wore a surprised look on her face, staring at me in shock.  
"Sherrice, h-how-?!" I could barely speak. There she was, alive and before me. It had only been three months since her death, but now, she was alive. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Was there an alter user nearby, using their abilities? No, it was impossible. Could this be the full extent of Sherrice's own abilities?  
"I don't know...I thought you were human?" I quickly shook my head at her.  
"I _am_ human! I didn't do this!" She gaped at me, eyeing me up and down before exhaling deeply.  
"Well, however it happened, it's done. I'm back now. Where's Ryuho?" I nearly rolled my eyes, not surprised by her true wonderment. However, I smiled happily because she was alive again, and that's all I wanted at that moment.  
"He's not here. He hasn't been here since your...uh...passing. However, he can't be too hard to find. You'll stand a better chance of finding him with your alter." She nodded and headed for the door before stopping and looking over at me.  
"Let's go. We can't keep him waiting for us forever." She winked at me as she smiled. A deep sinking feeling rose in my chest as I shook my head.  
"No, I'm not going. You should be the one to go see him." She raised an eyebrow at me.  
"Mimori, come on. He wants to see you too. I know that for a fact." I declined again, forcing a smile on my face.  
"I'm fine here. He will be more anxious to see you, Sherrice. If he wanted to see him, he would've tried being here. I'll be okay; I'm just going to lay down for a bit." She opened her mouth to retort, but sighed. With a nod, she left. I sighed and went to my room, plopping down on the bed. Ryuho didn't visit me because he doesn't feel the same way towards me, I knew that. I also knew that he turned my heart away because he and Sherrice had already given each other their hearts. There was no room for me there, and it wasn't my place. My reasoning for remaining here would have to be just about the Lost Ground and the Mainland, that's it. Left with those bitter thoughts in my mind, I laid back and closed my eyes. Slowly, I drifted off to a rather sorrowful dream.

"Mimori, wake up!"  
I groaned softly as I rubbed at my eyes, looking up only to see Sherrice above me.  
"Sherrice, what are you doing here? It's late, and I'm tired." She shot me a look before getting up.  
"Come outside, I've gotta show you something." I sighed and nodded, sitting up.  
"Fine. Let me use the bathroom first. I'll see you out there." She nodded and stepped outside as I rose to my feet. I rubbed my eyes again and went into the bathroom. I turned on the water and splashed some into my face. Taking a washcloth, I wiped off my face and stared at my reflection. My eyes seemed redder than usual, and I mean the irises. Did my eyes change colour? I shook my head, rubbing my eyes again before sighing. Running a brush through my hair, I left the bathroom and went outside. I looked around for Sherrice, but she was nowhere in sight.  
"Figures she'd pull this…" I sighed and turned, heading back inside.  
"Miss Kiryu."  
I halted, hand on the door handle. My breath stopped as everything went dead silent around me. That title, only one person had ever referred to me as that. I couldn't believe it though; what reason would he have for coming here? Was this part of Sherrice's plan? I didn't want to look back, for fear of disappointment. I was afraid I'd look back and see a ghost, or see he and Sherrice embracing each other. My heart clenched in pain. I didn't dare look back, only remaining still.  
"Aren't you going to face me? Do I frighten you, Miss Kiryu?"  
I bit the inside of my cheek roughly before slowly, shakily turning around. My eyes rested upon his form, taking in the HOLY uniform, followed by creamy skin and eyes the colour of fire. His forest green hair was certainly longer, reaching just past his shoulder blades. He seemed taller in the moonlight, but it could've been because I was still semi-asleep. The second my eyes met his, I retreated from them. His eyes were as unreadable as ever, but I feared he'd see what laid in mine.  
"N-No, you don't frighten me...Ryuho." My voice was just above a bare whisper. I could see him move closer to me, but my body stayed exactly where it stood. I couldn't move. He was only here because Sherrice told him to see me. He'd never have come here of his own free will.  
"Then why won't you look at me? Why are you shaking?" He stopped only a foot in front of me, gazing down at me. I could feel his heated gaze upon my head. I slowly looked up at him, bracing myself mentally.  
"Things have happened that have made me question what is real and what is not. How do I know you are what is real? I shake because I'm scared. I haven't seen you for three months. I see no reason for you to return here." He stared at me before a small chuckle left his throat, a small but gently tender smile on his face.  
"I'm very real, Miss Kiryu. I'm here because I heard about what happened to the school. Are you okay? You aren't injured, correct?" I quickly shook my head before casting my glance elsewhere.  
"I am fine. Cougar saved me before I was killed." He nodded slightly.  
"That's good. I'm glad he was here for you. I'm sorry that I wasn't, but that's why I told you to return to the Mainland." Just like that, my fear was replaced with rising irritation and anger.  
"Enough of this, Ryuho. Surely you didn't come all this way just to get rid of me. I'm staying here until I've made a difference in this war. If I die in the process, so be it. I'll die gladly. Hell, I'd rather die than be forced back to the Mainland." I met his gaze then, levelling with him. "I'm never returning back there. You nor anyone else will not force me there. I am nineteen now, and a big girl. I don't need protection from anyone. I just need respect." He nodded slightly before looking up at the stars.  
"I know. I probably couldn't even drag you back there. I realize that this mission of yours is very important to you. However, you need to realize that you're only human, Miss Kiryu. You'll never be able to make much of a difference being what you are." I gritted my teeth before slapping him across the face.  
"You think I don't know that? Belittling my efforts is only going to make me try harder, you jerk. Forget it, I'm wasting my words on someone who doesn't really care about what I think or feel anyways. Just leave me alone. Go back to Sherrice, I'm sure you two will make a wonderful couple." Before he could speak, I stormed away from him. Rather than heading towards the city, I retreated towards the outskirts. I made my way up trail of rocks towards the top of the cliff overlooking the city. However, I didn't stop there. I continued walking until I was a good mile away from the city. How dare he dehumanize me like that. I knew I was only a human, but that didn't give him the right to shut down my work. I sighed and took a seat on one of the larger rocks, resting my head upon my hands. I stared out at the ground about ten feet below where I sat. I knew I couldn't get much farther without the risk of breaking a bone.  
"Hey guys, take a look at this sweet piece of meat!" I quickly looked over to see about three rough-looking men surrounding me. Something was different about them: they had a strange aura around them.  
"Excuse me, but I'm not food. Go away." I glared at each of them.  
"I don't think so. Loosen up." Their apparent leader approached me, eyeing me up and down.  
"Let's have some fun." The other two grabbed at me, but I managed to dodge them as I rose to my feet. I turned quickly and bolted away, them chasing quickly behind me. Before I saw it happening, the leader appeared before me out of nowhere and grabbed me.  
"You're an alter user!" I gasped as he tossed me at his other two friends. One of his friends responded cockily.  
"You bet he is, so you'd best shut up and give us what we want!" The other one chuckled mischievously and nodded before cupping a hand over my mouth. The leader walked up to me and started unbuttoning the plaid shirt I had on. He wasn't wasting much time either. He grabbed my necklace and ripped it off, tossing it away. I watched the marble tumble to the ground, chipping off pieces of it. My eyes widened as the only connection to my past with Ryuho chipped. Anger boiled in my gut, as well as some strange feeling. It was an unbearable pain mixed with an immense power. I felt it course through my veins, and just as it arrived at it's peak, it burst from my body.  
Multiple colours blasted around me, shoving the men far away from me. I stood in the midst of white light that had shrouded my vision. However, as that light faded, my body was very different. I was clothed in some form of white and violet armour, similar to that of Ryuho's Zetsuei, but somehow different. My chest plate was flattering, but decently covering my body. I wore a skirt with an armoured belt, as well as boots clad in armour. The outfit did reveal my stomach some, but it wasn't super revealing. Upon my head was a form of metallic headdress containing the marble of my necklace. The cross carving stood in the center of it, and my hair was tucked back and longer than it had been. Looking at my reflection in the armour, my eyes were a pink-purple colour and my skin was paler than usual.  
"She's an alter user, boss!" I heard one of the men shout, cowering behind the other. Their leader rose to his feet and glared at me.  
"So what? Just makes this more fun." He grinned wickedly at me before activating his own alter. I braced myself, despite being in shock. How on earth was I an alter user? I was never born with the trait like Ryuho and Sherrice were. Biologically, this was an impossible transformation. I bit my lip, quietly calling out for help.  
' _Ryuho, help me!'_


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

 _Mimori's POV_

The leader raced towards me at a rapid rate. Frozen in place and unsure of what was completely happening, I closed my eyes tightly and awaited the impact. A clash of metal sounded though I was unharmed. I opened my eyes to see Zetsui before me, holding off the leader.  
"Mimori!" I could hear Ryuho running up the hill towards my position.  
"R-Ryuho!"  
Sherrice followed behind Ryuho, stopping when she caught a glimpse of my appearance.  
"Ryuho," Sherrice exclaimed, "she's an...alter user?!" Ryuho continued to run, eventually standing beside Zetsui in front of me.  
"Mimori, go stand by Sherrice. I'll deal with them." The leader growled before unleashing his full alter form.  
"Who the hell do you think you are? She's mine!" Ryuho's eyes flashed dangerously for a moment before letting his calm demeanor take over.  
"If she wanted you, she wouldn't have that look on her face."  
I stood by Sherrice, watching the battle ensnare between the two boys. I exhaled heavily and looked down at my hands, drinking in my new look.  
"How long have you been an alter?" Sherrice gawked at me in disbelief and shock, utterly baffled. I shook my head.  
"I-I'm not one...I mean...I don't know how this happened. I'm supposed to be simple person." Sherrice scrutinized me for a moment before nodding.  
"I agree there. You couldn't be an alter user, so it has to be an illusion of some sort." I glared at Sherrice before letting it fall as she cracked a smile. I sighed before smiling back at her grimly.  
"Seriously though, we will figure out how this happened. Do you have any ideas as to how it may have started?" I thought to myself for a moment. The only "logical" way that I could have became an alter user is through a genetic mutation. However, that sort of mutation would've had to happen through an injection or being doused in biohazardous materials. Since none of that had happened to me, it wasn't adding up.  
"There is no logical, scientific way that this could have happened to me."  
Just then, a blast of energy hit Sherrice and I, forcing some dirt to stir up in the air. We looked over towards the battle only to find Ryuho beside Zetsui and the leader on the ground. The man slowly rose to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. He glared up at Ryuho.  
"Tch, she's not worth it. Let's go guys." The man ran off with his friends. Ryuho then turned and walked towards us. He stopped a good three feet away, looking over the newly gained alter I had developed.  
"Let's head back, we have work to do." He walked past us without so much as a word about the alter. Sherrice glanced at me before following right beside him, like a lost puppy. I stood there for a few moments and swallowed hard in the back of my throat. My alter form slowly disappeared, forming itself into my necklace.  
' _Great, I'm in for a lecture…'_ I thought silently before tailing behind them.  
Once we got back to town, Sherrice ran off to fetch Cougar and Kazuma in order to discuss my alter. While waiting, Ryuho and I sat quietly under the shade of a canopy. We exchanged no words nor looks. I couldn't tell if he was mad or just quiet. If he was mad, I'd definitely be in for it. I stood and silently walked towards my house to I got inside, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, sighing heavily.  
"I can never read you…" I pushed away from the door and went to my dresser, pulling out a new shirt. I pulled on a lilac button up shirt and headed for the door to leave. Just as I opened the door, Ryuho was standing in the doorway. I stared at him for a few moments before casting my eyes elsewhere.  
"I forgot to ask if you were okay, Miss Kiryu." I inwardly cringed at the formal address but answered regardless.  
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." The words came out in a more forced, bitter tone than I had intended. Ryuho looked surprised by my tone, only adding to the pain I felt.  
"Miss Kiryu, I-"  
"It's _Mimori_. I understand that you've forgotten your feelings for me from when we were younger, but have you also forgotten my name?" I brushed past him and went back outside, just in time to join Kazuma, Cougar, and Sherrice. Ryuho quietly followed.  
"So, you magically got alter?" Kazuma raised an eyebrow at me.  
"Miss Minori, could you explain to us what happened exactly? I mean, how is that possible?" Cougar stared at me in disbelief. I sighed and nodded slightly.  
"I took a stroll to cool off because the heat was getting to me. Well, after sitting for a bit, I was about to return when these three men showed up. They wouldn't leave me alone."  
"What did they want with you?" Cougar looked at me eagerly, though a bit upset.  
"They wanted me to...um...you know... _perverted_ things. I turned away from them, and that's when the leader got upset. He decided to force himself on me by having his friends hold me still. He ripped at my shirt, and along with it, threw my necklace away. I got really mad, but I had felt something...else...something stronger than I'd ever felt before. It exploded from me, and before I knew it, I had unleashed some alter." The group was silent for a few minutes before Kazuma laughed.  
"Wait, let me get this straight: you unleashed your alter over a necklace? That's priceless!" Sherrice elbowed him in the gut, glaring at him.  
"Hey, jewelry is _very_ important to a woman!"  
"You could've just gotten a new necklace though," Cougar chimed in. I shook my head and looked down at the stone.  
"No. This necklace was a gift from a friend from long ago...losing this would for sure mean that I have lost him too…" A pregnant silence befell the group before Cougar spoke up.  
"Either way, none of that should have happened to you. Is there any way you can talk to your father about the alter?" I quickly shook my head, looking at him.  
"Absolutely not. If I know my father, he would either call me crazy, request me to come home, or put me up for scientific experimentation. It's bad enough I worked for HOLY where I took samples from alter users. I want to help them, but I can't do that if I'm being probed."  
"You can run your own experiments on yourself to see what could've happened. Meanwhile, please stay close to the village." Ryuho spoke in a softer tone than usual, his eyes facing forward. I looked over at him.  
"I can't-" Ryuho gave me a sharp look.  
"You'll do your experiments alone. If you absolutely _have_ to leave the town for whatever reason, you must take Sherrice with you. This meeting is dismissed." Before anyone could get a word in, Ryuho walked away from us. Kazuma sighed before looking over at me.  
"He's just worried about you. Don't mind him." I shook my head.  
"He's not concerned about me. He just doesn't want me to be more of a burden."  
"Mimori, that's not-"  
"I'm going to work on this, so please don't disturb me." I walked to my house and shut the door behind me. I sat at my desk and started working away. Pulling out my microscope and a needle, I extracted some of my blood and placed it on a slide. Then, I placed the slide on the microscope and observed the cells within the eye piece. This continued until it got pretty dark out. By the time I stopped, it was ten o' clock. I exhaled tiredly and cleaned up my workspace. The door knocked a few times, pulling my attention from my workspace. I rubbed at my eyes and yawned before opening the door, my eyes focusing on Ryuho's form. Inwardly, I screamed. What could he have wanted at this hour?  
"Mimori, you seem tired." I could've smacked my face at his bluntness.  
"It's late Ryuho, and I've had a long day. I'd like to sleep, so if you don't mind spilling whatever it is you have to say." He opened his mouth before closing it again, as though he were choosing his words carefully.  
"Mimori, I'm sorry." I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, but his expression wore me down. His eyes were glinted with sadness, and his face showed more emotion than he had shown for a while.  
"I haven't been a great person to be around, and I don't make your life any easier. I have always struggled to understand emotions and to understand others. I'm not trying to make up excuses for my behaviour, but rather inform you that I'd take the things I said back if I could. I realize you probably cannot forgive me anytime soon, and that's okay with me. However, I need you to cooperate with me and stay near the town. Those three could easily have been the start of something else. Please, forgive me." He bowed to me, his hair hiding his face. I gawked at him for awhile before clearing my throat, speaking again.  
"I understand. Ryuho, I don't expect you to want me to stay here nor save me everytime I get into trouble. I don't expect you to understand my reasoning for being here either. But I do expect some respect from you. You know me more than anyone else here, and you know that once my mind is set, there's no changing it. I'll stay close to the town for now, but if my studies lead me astray, I _will_ be following that path without dragging anyone else with me. I refuse to bring anyone down because of me." Ryuho looked up at me before rising. His eyes were still soft, but kinder as they settled on mine.  
"I understand that, and I'll do my best to let you do as you wish. After all, you've always been an independent woman. I just don't want to lose you too. I've already lost so many people." His tone was almost heartbreaking, portraying the truest side of his emotions that had been locked inside since the death of his mother. I smiled earnestly and rested a hand on his shoulder.  
"You won't be losing anyone else, Ryuho. I promise you, that I will always be beside you. Death does not change that. Nothing can." He gave me a small smile before placing his hand over mine. We stood there for minutes, relishing in the silence and simply being with each other. Although, the moment passed as Sherrice pounded on the door.  
"Mimori, dinner's done! Come eat already!" Her footsteps disappeared as my hand moved away from Ryuho's.  
"We should eat. We've had a long day." Ryuho nodded at me before following me over to join the others for food. I knew things wouldn't stay this calm forever, but I certainly enjoyed the pleasantness everyone brought.


End file.
